Stoves and furnaces – Fireplaces or accessories – Grate structure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-15
2003-09-09
Yeung, James C. (Department: 3743)
Stoves and furnaces
Fireplaces or accessories
Grate structure
C126S15200R, C126S16300A, C126S298000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06615823
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the general field of solid fuel combustion methods and devices and is more particularly concerned with a wood log combustion method and supporting device therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Solid fuel burning stoves such as wood-burning stoves which rely on radiation and convection of the stove itself are well known. In view of the continually increasing cost for running more sophisticated centralized heating systems relying on oil or electricity and in the context of social trends such as so-called “cocooning”, such stoves are becoming more in vogue. They are increasingly being used to heat various rooms in houses in lieu of or supplemental to other heating methods.
Generally, such stoves include a combustion chamber into which air is directed, burned and exited through a flue outlet generally positioned centrally at the top of the combustion chamber. The stoves are typically made of metal and bricks and burn solid combustible material such as wood, coal or the like in order to raise the temperature of the metal and bricks sufficiently to radiate and convect heat throughout the room where the stove is employed.
Typically, a door is provided on the front of the stove allowing access for adding fuel and removing ashes or other debris once the fuel has been burned. In addition, the door usually has apertures extending therethrough for enhancing radiation from the stove and for creating a draft. The draft provides air containing oxygen to ignite the fuel and maintain combustion within the stove.
It has long been recognized that wood, particularly well seasoned, dry hardwood contains a very substantial potential of thermal energy that can be released by burning. Among the various problems that have been encountered in the use of wood in stoves and furnaces as a thermal energy source is the fact that the wood tends to burn rapidly with the consequent release of more thermal energy than that which can be effectively heat-exchanged into a distribution medium such as air. Accordingly, a substantial portion of the potential energy of the fuel is lost through the exhaust stack, flue or chimney.
Various techniques have been used in attempts to overcome or at least reduce problems associated with poor heating efficiency related to loss of heat through the exhaust stack or flue. One such technique which has been utilized is that of using so-called “starved air” combustion. This technique involves the restriction of the amount of air and thus oxygen available in the combustion chamber so as to slow the rate at which the wood burns. Various designs of stoves commonly referred to as slow combustion stoves have been designed to achieve “starved air” combustion.
Although these “starved air” combustion techniques have produced some degree of success, they nevertheless have also created additional problems. Indeed, the use of so-called “starved air” combustion results in incomplete combustion of many of the volatile hydrocarbon constituents of the wood. Collectively, these constituents when they become deposited are referred to as creosote. Hence, creosote is a complex of aromatic hydrocarbons including tar acids, tar bases and phenols.
Many of these constituents become deposited on the surfaces through which the flue gasses pass if the flue gas temperature drops below a given temperature. These deposits, in turn, build up and tend to clog and thus interfere with the movement of gasses through the flue. Also, being flammable, creosote has a tendency to catch fire resulting in so-called chimney fires bringing with it potential serious material as well as human consequences.
Furthermore, the use of slow combustion stoves results in a lower heating efficiency inasmuch as all the solid fuel available is not burned within the combustion chamber. Also, it is well know that too little air, preventing complete fuel combustion, leaves a lot of ashes in the stove. Furthermore, incomplete combustion also produces carbon monoxide which is a toxic gas.
On the other hand, it is also well known in the furnace or fireplace art that too much air causes rapid combustion and a great loss of heat through the fireplace or stove pipe/chimney. Potentially recoverable energy is lost and the combustible material soon is exhausted. Temperature spikes, wherein the temperature rises to relatively high levels in a relatively short lapse of time are sometimes created leading to discomfort and to potential damage to the heating components.
Hence, the lack of control over the rate of combustion of the combustible material in both open and restricted air environments leads to various serious drawbacks such as loss of energy, poor heating efficiency, wastage of fuel with ecological repercussions, discomfort and potential danger for both material goods and human life. Accordingly, it would prove to be highly desirable to provide both a method and a device for facilitating the control of the rate of combustion of combustible material.
When solid combustible materials such as wood logs, coal or the like are burned or combusted in a open air environment such as a fireplace or in a “starved air” environment such as a slow combustion stove, the solid combustible material is often supported in an elevated or spaced relationship relative to the base wall of the fireplace or stove. Known supporting arrangements for wood logs include log holding throughs, andirons, log retaining grates and the like.
These supporting arrangements are commonly used to elevate the wood logs in order to allow needed oxygen to circulate around the logs, particularly underneath and around their sides and backs so as to facilitate the combustion. Conventional supporting arrangements are also typically provided with spaces or apertures formed therein for allowing ashes to fall through and be separated from the unburned wood. Some supporting arrangements also allow the fireplace or stove to be cleaned. and facilitate the removal of the ashes without having to remove the supporting arrangement itself and/or the logs mounted thereon.
Although conventional log supporting arrangements provide numerous advantages, they nevertheless suffer from at least one major drawback in that they have not been designed to maintain the logs in a predetermined pattern for improving the heating efficiency and obliviating or reducing the herein above-mentioned drawbacks associated with both “open air” and “starved air” environments. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved log burning method and associated log holding structure therefore.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved log supporting device for an improved log combustion method.
Advantages of the present invention include the proposed method and structure allowing for efficient regulation of the rate of combustion of combustible material in a combustion chamber. Also, the present invention provides enhanced combustion and heat transfer efficiency.
Furthermore, the proposed invention allows for the heat output of the combustion chamber to be maintained substantially constant, in particular preventing over-temperature conditions within the combustion chamber.
Still further, the proposed invention may potentially allow for the reduction in the amount of creosote, carbon monoxide and other potentially harmful combustion by-products. Also, the proposed invention potentially allows for safer, more economical and ecological usage of solid combustible material.
Still furthermore, the proposed supporting structure is designed so as to be manufacturable using conventional forms of manufacture and conventional material so as to provide a log supporting structure that will be economically feasible, long-lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a log supporting structure for supporting a log positioned within a combustion chamber, the log having a generally elongated configuration defining a log longitudinal axis, a log circumferential surfac
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